LSU women’s basketball team gained a piece of dubious history Friday night when it lost its 2020-21 season opener to BYU, 67-51, in the Southpoint Thanksgiving Shootout in Las Vegas.
The 16-point loss by the Nikki Fargas-coached Tigers matched the worst defeat margin for a season–opener in the 47-year history of the program. The two others were in the first game in program history in 1975-76 and the other was in 10th-year LSU coach Fargas’ fourth season.
Also, the 51 points were the lowest scored in a season opener under Fargas.
LSU never led and the score was tied just once at 6-6 with 4:07 left in the first quarter. The Tigers missed their last eight shots of the game and went scoreless in the final 4:10.
BYU won the game with a huge advantage in 3-point shooting. The Cougars nailed a sizzling 11 of 18 3s (61.1 percent) compared to the Tigers’ frigid 3 of 18 (16.7 percent).
Sophomore guard Shaylee Gonzales scored a game-high 30 points for BYU, hitting 11 of 14 field goals including 6 of 7 3s.
Senior guard Awa Trasi led LSU with 15 points. Redshirt senior center Faustine Aifuwa finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds, the 10th double-double of her career.
LSU faces West Virginia here on Saturday at 5:45 p.m. CT. The Tigers open their home schedule next Friday night at 6 against UCF.
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